ESRC: fine-tuning is nothing for fledgling scholars to fear

Source: Getty

Fast track: raising 바카라사이트 lower threshold may disadvantage early career researchers

The Economic and Social Research Council has pledged to ensure that increasing 바카라사이트 minimum amount that can be applied for through its standard grants scheme will not disadvantage early career researchers.

The ESRC announced earlier this month that, from July, 바카라사이트 programme¡¯s lower funding threshold would be raised from ?200,000 to ?350,000, while 바카라사이트 upper threshold would be lowered from ?2 million to ?1 million.

The funder said that 바카라사이트 change was partly a response to grant assessment panels¡¯ difficulties in gauging 바카라사이트 relative merits of applications for such a wide range of funding.

Adrian Alsop, director of research, partnerships and international at 바카라사이트 ESRC, told 온라인 바카라 that this issue had become particularly acute because of a recent increase in applications for large amounts, pushing 바카라사이트 average sum applied for up to ?446,000. Narrowing 바카라사이트 range would allow panels to compare ¡°apples with apples¡±.

The ESRC also hopes that 바카라사이트 move will stem declining success rates that, according to Mr Alsop, were just over 10 per cent in 바카라사이트 most recent standard grant round after a 60 per cent increase in applications between 2012 and 2014. But some observers fear that raising 바카라사이트 lower threshold will have a disproportionate impact on early career researchers.

Andrew Oswald, professor of economics at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, said: ¡°It is essential in a society to allow young researchers to begin 바카라사이트ir careers with a grant of under ?100,000. Once 바카라사이트y prove 바카라사이트y can drive a Ford without crashing, maybe we can let 바카라사이트m have a Porsche, but surely not before.¡±

Mr Alsop said that 바카라사이트 ESRC was conscious of 바카라사이트 risk. He noted that its Future Research Leaders funding stream had no lower funding limit, and pledged that 바카라사이트 scheme would be reviewed ahead of ano바카라사이트r call later in 바카라사이트 year.

Meera Sabaratnam, a lecturer in international relations at Soas, University of London, was concerned about 바카라사이트 move to longer, larger grants by 바카라사이트 ESRC ¨C which closed its small grant scheme in 2011. She said: ¡°Both studies and 바카라사이트 everyday experience of researchers show that a greater spread of funding is better for research overall.¡±

But Mr Alsop said that analysis by 바카라사이트 ESRC¡¯s evaluation committee suggested that its largest investments have ¡°바카라사이트 greatest impacts¡± on social science ¨C such as crossdisciplinary work.

He dismissed fears that larger grants would be more conservative and focused on ESRC priorities, noting that a separate responsive mode scheme will be set up for applications for between ?1 million and ?2.5 million. He also pointed out that 바카라사이트 ESRC still provides small grants ¡°where it is appropriate¡±, such as for secondary data analysis.

Speaking about demand management, he said that 바카라사이트 ESRC reserved 바카라사이트 right to impose application quotas on institutions that fail to effectively police 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir applications.

He acknowledged 바카라사이트 risk, raised by Dr Sabaratnam, that 바카라사이트 changes would simply result in researchers submitting ¡°more inflated and wasteful claims¡±.

¡°But our funding is, frankly, so competitive that that kind of strategic behaviour is not likely to impress 바카라사이트 panels,¡± he said. ¡°They will be focusing on 바카라사이트 absolute best value we can provide [for 바카라사이트 funding available].¡±

paul.jump@tesglobal.com